Xalar Empire
General Location: The penisulas of the Eastern Gate, and north along the coast of the Inner Ocean. Racial Mix: Xeph 73% Human 24 Goliath 3% Religious Mix: Court of a Thousand Gods 57% Three Fold Gods 15% Twin Gods 1% Agnostic 19% Atheistic 8% Languages: Xalxith, Xilgith, Aozarim Mounts Military Civilian Individual Dire Wolf Oxen Draft Oxen Oxen Basic Architectural Style: Tall, elegant stone buildings with large open windows Basic Clothing Style: Loose trousers and tunics Gift and Rest days: Name When Type Godsday 3rd full moon in a season Holiday Ruler's Birthday As appropriate Gift Day of Rememberance 2nd new moon after fall equinox Rest Countries City Size Location Ygrax, the Imperial City 750,000 The northeastern coast of the Inner Ocean. Birthalis 10,940 Just north of the Xalar-Xiltir border, on the east coast of the Inner Ocean, at the mouth of the Blood River where it empties into the Bay of Dead Kings. Total: 30,000,000 General Description The Xalar Empire is only a pale remnant of its former power. Where it was once a unified empire of mighty warriors, now it is a fractured and fractious collection of merchant city-states. The nobility are conservative, honor-bound, and focused on militaristic rituals. They also possess near-unlimited power, always being judge, jury, and executioner. Most noble warriors serve either in the calvary, stationed mainly in the east along the border with the Great Neck Empire, or in the navy, on the warships that patrol the Eastern Gate. Serving as a counterweight to the nobles are the wealthy merchants. Their business keeps the Empire alive, and they know this. Some are the very junior scions of noble families, but most are commoners (or the descendants of commoners) who clawed their way to the top of the mercantile heap. Regardless of their origins, merchants are very jealous of their prerogatives, and wounding a merchant's pride can be costly in more ways than one. Noble warriors and merchant princes all tend to be male. A woman's route to power is through the power of the mind. The greatest scientists and magicians of the Xalar Empire have overwhelmingly been female. The actions of a wizardress have upset more than one noble's or merchant's plan, as the wizardresses have the power of overriding veto and pardon (though only as it pertains to individuals). A wizardress' solitude prevents society from devolving into chaos. All of the upper classes - noble warriors, wealthy merchants, and solitary wizardresses - have highly ritualistic and constrained ways of interacting with commoners. These rituals typically prevent the worst abuses, even if they further isolate the power and the people. Though most citizens associate themselves with the Court of a Thousand Gods, their typical interaction consists of sporadic prayers to a favored god or two. Only an uncommon few can name more than the two most common gods, and generally only priests know the names of all the gods. Families are matrilineal in nature, but have a patriarchal power structure. Females are generally sequestered from outsiders, and always wear a veil outside their private rooms. A family unit consists of the eldest woman, her sisters, daughters, and nieces, their husbands and brothers, and their husbands' and brothers' concubines. Naming Traditions Nobles mark their lineage with "xen", and honorifics (or place names) with "xil". Titles precede their given names. So you have Prince Kathid Ulganis xen Biltir and Princess Siotha xil Merthon. Marriage Traditions Marriage, whether the normal man marrying into a family, or the rarer woman marrying into another family is a permanent arrangement. Children of marriages are automatically heirs. Concubinage is a less permanent arrangement, and is usually a commoner becoming a concubine of a noble (or extremely wealthy merchant). Sometimes a noble takes another noble as a concubine. Children of concubines are only legitimate heirs if recognized as such. History Year Event -800 The Xalar province of the Xemil Empire is created. -683 The colony of Xara founded. -508 The Republic signs the first commercial treaty with Xalar. -475 The eastern and western parts of the Ancient Xeph Empire split; the eastern portion becomes the Xalar Empire. The western (and older) portion becomes the Xemil Empire. c. -250 First Republic ship crosses the Great Sea directly to the Xalar Empire, and returns. The Republic is established as the pre-emminent naval power. -183 The First Temple built by the Great Emperor Yllig. -149 to -125 The Republic conquers the western coast of the Great Sea, and destroys the Xalar Empire's first capitol. The Xalar Empire is now bound solely to the Inner Sea. -138 The Five Nations of Illigyr revolt, and break away from the Xalar Empire. -132 The First Temple razed by the invading army of the Great Neck Empire. -97 The Temple of the Courts is built. 293 Emperor Yllig Maret builds the Great Temple of Yllig based on the First Temple's plans. 331 Court of a Thousand Gods holy site in Kofij Hills razed. All Merithan now follow Dariman. 959 Emperor Afhammod xen Marthonir is assassinated; his wife and nine year-old daughter (Princess Siotha xil Merthon) are lost at sea. After a series of coups, Prince Kathid Ulganis xen Biltir ascends to the Imperial Throne as Emperor Xafet xen Biltir. Ranks in the Xalar Empire Class Rank Address Region Greater Noblity Emperor, Padishah Supreme Majesty Empire King, Sultan, Shah Majesty Independent City-State Prince, Emir, Governor Highness Subordinate City State Nobility Duke, Bey Great Lord Town Baron, Malik Lord Village Knight, Mir Sir The Rich Manishah, Merchant Prince Great One over 50000 gp wealth Mani, Merchant Prince High One over 5000 gp wealth Those Who Toil Craftsman Master/Mistress Craft 7 ranks or more Laborer Goodman/Goodlady Free Servant None Servant to another free citizen Slaves Debt Slave None Temporary slavery Slave None Permanent slavery Recent Events Star Crystal Negotiations The Xalar Empire has agreed to the treaty modifications for the Star Crystals, as has Illigyr. Negotiations with the Great Neck Empire have not yet begun. Category: Setting Category: Cultures